As for idTech 5 / Rage, Carmack originally said, “If there are hundreds of thousands of linux users playing Quake Live when we are done with Rage, that would certainly influence our decision [to schedule a native Linux port]” and Besset provides an update saying that “Linux players represent about 5% of the QuakeLive population.” I’m not aware of any recent measurements of how big the QuakeLive population is, but I suspect it’s not approaching the four million mark just yet.

Besset’s parting words, however, paint a slightly different picture:

It is likely i will be involved with idTech 5 in the near future, I’ll be damned if we don’t find the time to get Linux builds done

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10 Responses to “TTimo on id and Linux”

oh how they tease me!
1) if Rage has a native Linux client (even unofficial) I will buy it and hopefully find time to play it, if not then no buying and playing from me.
2) idTech 5 may get a Linux build, but I would enjoy the game Rage more then an engine (though getting to engine to work is part of the way)

The statement that people should remember is when TTimo said that “Fundamentally nothing has changed with our policy regarding Linux games. ” If this is in fact the case Rage is in no less danger of not being ported than Doom 3, Quake 4, and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars were. I think it is time people stopped fear-mongering, and to those players who are boycotting QuakeLive over this whole silly scare, stop it! It will not help matters, and it might do some good to increase the number of Linux players online. I personally am looking forward to Rage, and Doom 4, when they WILL come out for Linux.

That’s good news, but the proof is in the putting. It certainly doesn’t change my opinion of John Carmack turning his back on his most loyal customers. Many of us have bought his games and given them praise simply because they were ported to our operating systems. If we were running Windows as Carmack suggests we should, we would have more than likely bought different games and given his products less glowing reviews. These guys have no problem releasing Linux server software. Do they realize that a healthy Linux community is beneficial to that side of things, or are they just content to leech our time and bandwidth while contributing zero game content ? I can’t imagine Windows gamers giving ID Software the same glowing reviews that we have. Respect for our loyalty should not be big a thing to ask for. Release the game and I will buy it, otherwise I will stick to Valve Software.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I feel I have to post one or two points in response to peispud. Carmack as far as I am aware never said that people should use Windows, he just complained about the quality of Linux display drivers and of the cost of porting. Second, complaining about id putting its energies into making a server client is laughable when there are so many worse offenders. I agree it is an insult to do that, but id is not the people you should be complaining about. You should be complaining about all the companies that had done that and have never given Linux anything, people such as your precious Valve software.

What people do not seem to realize is id in many ways made the Linux game industry, and is the main reason why Linux is such a good platform for shooters, because of their own games and because of their source code releases. id was the first, or at least very close to first, commercial game vendor to support Linux and that should be remembered. id and Loki made this an industry in the first place. So they deserve our respect as much as you demand they should respect us. They are also the only game company I really follow, and are one of the only companies to continue to make games I feel are worth playing. That of course is just my opinion, but I felt it should be stated. The thing people should remember is what id has done for us in the past, and the fact it looks like they still might do stuff for us in the future.

Carmack as far as I am aware never said that people should use Windows

-“you might as well boot into windows and get the fully tested and tuned experience”

I agree it is an insult to do that, but id is not the people you should be complaining about.

-We are not talking about the other people, we are talking about ID. It seems to me that if the boss says the game is over that it’s only a matter of time. What happens after TTimo leaves ID ? I’m guessing nothing for us.

They are also the only game company I really follow

– I thought so. My Valve games run just fine and I’m looking forward to the native Steam client which is rumored to be in the works. No you should run windows crap from these guys

I suggest this should be the final post to this, I don’t want to start a long pointless flame war, but I will address two remaining points. Timothee Besset holds a very important position at id, he is their lead network coder, so he is not likely to jump ship any-time soon. If he does we can only hope that Linux has become accepted as a gaming platform, and lets face it, if that has not happened by then it won’t happen no matter what the rest of id does. And as a final point I would just like to say that I am only running native games at the moment, I do not even have WINE or any emulators installed. I do not touch Windows and the only Windows games I have are from six-seven years ago (and I do not seem to be missing much frankly). If id did leave Linux I probably would not play their games. But I do not think that is going to happen, and berating them while there is still hope is only going to make matters worse. Now I think we have both said what we want to have said, so lets end this here.

Release the game and I will buy it, otherwise I will stick to Valve Software. … My Valve games run just fine

So, wait a minute, let me get this straight… You’re bitching at id for the mere suggestion that maybe creating a native Linux client of a game that isn’t even close to being released yet might not be their highest priority in the world… Yet, you are perfectly happy and fine with Valve, who have never released a native Linux game at all? WTF?? If you’re so damn happy playing Valve’s games under WINE, then why not be happy doing the same for id’s games? Why should only id have to produce native ports of all their games? Let’s ignore the fact that there’s not even any evidence they WON’T produce a native port, and in fact ample evidence that they WILL, as they have always done in the past… But, just for the sake of argument, let’s say they said definitively, “No more Linux ports ever!”… Why the hell would you stop buying THEIR games, but continue buying Valve’s?? That makes no sense whatsoever… You apparently have two different sets of rules for the two companies… Valve has always treated Linux like shit, so they get a pass on continuing to do so… id has always treated Linux great, so they are required to always make Linux their top priority, or else they are evil traitors who must be boycotted… Yeah, that’s real logical… Seriously, WTF is going on inside your head??

I have:
just started the Sacred expansion
have yet to start Gorky 17
gone 1/2 way through Jets ‘n Guns
playing way too much HoN
played ET couple weeks ago, that brought back memories
got an account but yet to play Quake Live
thought about replaying Quake 4 on my new comp (something higher than 800×600, low detail, and basic shadows)
bought but not played past the demo levels of World of Goo
still have not played through any single player NWN campaign
not played through WZ2100 single player
yet to play through any single player Battle for Wesnoth campaign
thought about buying Gish

so many games already, so little time… still, Rage could fill a FPS+RPG hole in that list.

Valve??? give me a f*** break, they regularly and very constantly ban linux users on counter-strike, because the thing doesn’t work properly on linux and they kick you out claiming there is a cheat installed.

so no, i quit steam on linux about 3 years ago or so.

also, they will NEVER and EVER release a linux version of steam, what kind of idiot would release a piece of software that is supposed to start games, while every single one is windows based?

for all that is holy what type of troll we have today ? lol
Valve… geez.